Process for manufacturing artificial fiber from protein contained in soybean



Patented Feb. 5, 1946 y rnoonss roii MANUFAc'rUnnvc sar FICIAL rmnn mom rno'rnm eoN- TAINED m sornnan Toshiji Kajita and Ryohei Inoue, Tokyo, .lapan; vested in the Alien Property Custodian No Drawing. Original application September a,

1937, Serial No. 162,954. Divided and this application June 7, 1939, Serial No. 277,956. In

Japan May 25, 1937 Y 2 Qlaims.

This application is a division of our application ser. No. 162,954, filed Sept. 8, 1937.

This invention relates to a process of manufacturing artificial fiber from protein contained in soybean, and consists in extracting the pro- 5' and lacks in elasticity. Moreover in the present tein, with dilute alkaline solution, from the resiinvention tartaric acid is added to stabilize the due of the soybean after the oil content has been precipitate ed o t e extraction S0111- extracted. The protein is then precipitated by tion above described and the mixture is then disadding metallic salts to said solution. The presolved in alkaline solution, the resulting solution cipitate is washed with water, allowinga suitable is being l wed to matu e and the soluti n t us amount of water to remain with the precipitate. ain is spun into an acid bath which may Tartaric acid is added thereto as a stabilizer and contain Suitable Organic oa at g ents. By. then the mixture is dissolved in alkaline l t the addition of the stabilizer such as herein men- The resulting solution is then allowed to m t tioned, the oxidation or decomposition of protein after which the solution thus obtained is spun can e eve e d i t e proce s, e pec into an acid bath which may contain suitable orduring the step of maturing- Moreover, While ganic coagulating agents. The object of this in.- the sp n ing solution is maturing, a homQgeneolls vention is to produce artificial fiber-of a superior Solution is tained and'the spinning can be easquality which does not degenerate and to-provide 11y carried The resulting fiber (1088 not an economical and efiicient process of manufac- 20 generate and a Very pliant touch as Well as an turing such fibers.

The advantages of our invention may be more fully understood from the following description. In the present invention the protein is extracted with dilute alkaline solution from the residue of the soybean after the oil content has been extracted. The protein is then precipitated by adding metallic salts to said solution. The precipitate is washed with water, allowing a suitable amount of water to remain with the precipitate When said spinning solution spun into the acid bath, in which containing or not containing oranic coagulating agent, the filament coagulates slowly, the resultingfllamnt is not fine (thick) excellent dyeing ability is obtained. In manufacturing a fiber from a spinning solution prepared by dissolving the protein of the soybean in alkaline solution to which tartaric acid has not been added and which is not submitted to maturand then said precipitate is dissolved in alkaline solution. Then a small amount of metallic hydrate is produced, said metallic hydrate reacts with protein in the presence 'of alkaline solution, consequently the hydration degree of protein is remarkably increased without changing suitable viscosity of the spinning fluid. Said hydration degree'is estimated more than 8'parts of aqueous solution against one part of soybean protein, then the stability of the spinning solution is remarkably increased. When the spinning solution, thus obtained, is spun into the coagulating bath, said spinning solution is coagulated very rapidly and the filament obtained is very fine and has much elasticity.

When the soybean protein is extracted with dilute alkaline solution from the residue of the soybean after the oil content has been extracted, the protein is then precipitated by adding acids to said solution instead of metallic salt which is used in the present invention, and then prepared spinning solution in the same process as in the present invention, the hydration degree of the protein is only less than 4 parts oi aqueous solution against one part of soybean protein.

clay and then filtered. To the transparent soluing, the protein is oxidised and decomposed during the process and consequently the filament is broken during the spinning step and continuous spinning cannot therefore be carried on. Moreover, the fiber thus obtained is very hard and brittle and consequently of no practical use.

One example of carrying out the invention into practice is as follows:

The residue of soybean from which the oil content has been extracted and containing 40 to v47% of protein is subjected to extraction with an alkaline solution diluted 5 to 10 times by weight, for example, 0.2 to 2% of ammonia solution or caustic alkaline solution at the temperature of "20 to 30 (2., for about 2 to 5 hours, whereby the protein amounting to 10 to 20% of the total amount of the raw material may be extracted. The protein thus obtained is purified by adding a dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide or sodium peroxide and bone charcoal or china tion thus obtained a 30 to 40% aqueous solution of metallic salts of acids, for example, copper sulphate,'zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, copper acetate is added and until the solution becomes weakly acidic, whereby the proteic salt is precipitated. The precipitate thus obtained is thoroughly washed with water to remove adhering salts and separated by filtering. Then tartaric acid is added as a stabilizer at the rate at 0.2

tion at the temperature of 10 to 20 C. for 2 to 1 3 days, a spinning solution is obtained. This spinning solution is then spun in the usual manner or allowed to fall into an acid bath of 10 to 50% concentration or an acid bath containin in addition 10 to 20% of an organic coagulating agent such as alcoholyformaldehyde, acetone, etc., and then submitted to the finishing procedure.

According to the present invention, a proteic artificial flber or superior quality resembling wool or natural silk which does not degenerate can be obtained.

What we claim is:

1. The process of manufacturing artificial fiber from protein contained in the soybean, consisting in extracting the protein with dilute alkaline solution from the residue of the soybean from which the oil content has-been extracted, precipitating the protein by adding metallic salt to said solution, washing said precipitate with water, adding tartaric acid while the precipitate is wet, dissolving the said mixture in an alkaline solution permitting the resulting solution to mature, spinning the solution thus obtained into an acid bath containing organic coagulating agents.

2. The process of manufacturing artificial fiber from protein contained in the soybean,

consisting in extracting the protein with dilute alkaline solution from the residue of the soybean from which the oil content has been extracted, precipitating the protein by adding metallic salt to said solution, washing said precipitate with water, adding tartaric acid while the precipitate is wet, dissolving the said mixture in an alkaline solution permitting the resulting solution to mature, spinning the solution thus obtained into an acid bath.

TOSHIJI KAJITAI RYOHEI INOUE. 

